News & Alerts

2019 August Recess Grassroots Action Items: IT IS TIME TO ACT!!!

July 26, 2019

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The 116^th Congress will adjourn for August recess on July 26 in the House and on August 2 for the Senate through September 9. During this time Representatives and Senators spend time in their home districts. This is our opportunity to act and contact them when they are not on the Hill and ask them to support NBCC’s priorities.

One of NBCC’s highest legislative priorities this year is to enact legislation to waive the 24 month waiting period for Medicare eligibility and the 5 month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for individuals with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act was introduced in the House as H.R. 2178 on April 9 by Representatives Peter King (R-NY) and Kathy Castor (D-FL). The bill currently has 107 cosponsors. On May 8, Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced S. 1374 in the Senate. The bill currently has 10 cosponsors.

Now we want to build on the bipartisan support of both bills.

There are actions you can take to help us reach this important goal:

ACTIVITIES FOR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY NOT COSPONSORS OF H.R. 2178/S. 1374

• Schedule a meeting with your Representative/Senator in his/her district office
• Attend a Town Hall meeting
• Send an op-ed piece or letter to the editor of your local newspaper and/or use social media to ask the Representative/Senator to cosponsor H.R. 2178/S. 1374 (this can be combined with a thank you for members of Congress in the same delegation who have already signed on to the bill)
• Send an email or call the health care policy staff person in your Representative/Senator’s DC office and ask them to review the bill and recommend cosponsorship when the House and Senate reconvene in September
• Remind your Representative/Senator and/or their staff person that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and offer to help publicize the Representative’s/Senator’s support for H.R. 2178/S. 1374 should he/she cosponsor

Please have your Representatives contact Deena Tauster in Representative King’s office at deena.tauster@mail.house.gov or Elizabeth Brown in Representative Castor’s office at elizabeth.brown@mail.house.gov to cosponsor H.R. 2178.

Please have your Senators contact Emily Crow in Senator McSally’s office at Emily_Crow@mcsally.senate.gov or Elizabeth Darnall in Senator Murphy’s office at Elizabeth_Darnall@murphy.senate.gov to cosponsor S. 1374.

ACTIVITIES FOR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY COSPONOSRS OF H.R. 2178/S. 1374

• Submit a letter to the editor of the local newspaper and/or post on social media thanking the Representative/Senator for cosponsoring H.R. 2178/S. 1374 and reiterate why it is important for individuals with metastatic breast cancer
• Reach out to the Representative’s/Senator’s district office and offer to provide an article or background information for their newsletter, website or materials for events during October being held in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness month
• Ask for a commitment that the Representative/Senator will work to get the bill enacted
• Invite the Representative/Senator to attend/speak at any local events being held over the August recess or any planned events for October
• Offer to work with the Representative’s/Senator’s staff on a press event/roundtable discussion or other event during the month of October to highlight his/her support for the bill and his/her engagement on breast cancer issues

Download the social media guide for sample social media posts.

If you have any questions or would like to let us know that your Representative/Senator has agreed to cosponsor, please contact Jennifer Berzok at jkberzok@stopbreastcancer.org

As always, thank you for your important advocacy on behalf of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and our mission to end breast cancer!